Fencing is a popular sport throughout the world. A fencer wears a set of protective gear to protect him/herself from the weapon, i.e. the sword. As part of the protective gear is a fencing mask that protects the user's head and neck. Prior art fencing mask typically includes a front metal mesh portion that protects the user's head, a bib portion that extends from the lower portion of the front metal mesh portion that protects the user's neck, and a flap portion that extends from the top portion of the front metal mesh portion towards the rear for securing the fencing mask to the user's head. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,362,597. In order to secure the fencing mask to the user's head, the flap portion is bent at a downward angle to abut the back of the user's head.
Another type of prior art fencing mask uses a disk shape member held by a plurality of elastic straps instead of a flap portion to hold the fencing mask to the user's head. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,286. The disk shape member abuts the back of the user's head.
Prior art fencing mask is unable to conveniently accommodate a user who styles his/her hair in a ponytail at the back of the user's head because the single large flap portion or the disk shape member abuts the back of the user's head where a ponytail is typically positioned. In order to use the prior art fencing masks, a user would have to forego styling his/her hair in a ponytail.
Therefore, there is a need for fencing mask that can accommodate a user's ponytail at the back of his/her head.